Loose-leaf binder.



J. SCHADE, JR.

LOOSE LEAF BINDER. 'APl LicAnou FILED SEPT.16,1915.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

Sum/wt I 7 Jokn 50/14101 J2:

JOHN SCI-IADE, JR., OF BROOKLYN, NEYVYORK, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL BLANK BOOK COMPANY, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, A VOLUNTARY TRUST ASSOCIATION OF COPARTNERSHIP, HAVING AS TRUSTEES J'. W. TOWNE, F. B. TOWNE, E. S. TOWNE, J'. TOWNE, AND F. W. WILSON.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

Application filed September 16, 1915. Serial No. 50,925.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN SCHADE, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Binders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has reference to loose leaf binders, but more particularly is identified with the structure of such devices shown and described in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,157,184 issued to me October 19, 1915.

In common with the device shown in said application, my present improvement utilizes a pair of elongated plate-like members having pivotal relation at their inner edges and carrymg prongs and supported by means of.

endcaps, these members being cut away to form pockets which contain spring impelled balls or similar elements that act against the members always with a tendency to override them at their inner edges. But in the device ofsaid application, any spring elements, that areassociated with the end caps to act against the balls or analogous members, are backed by the outer walls of such caps so that said balls or members are impelled away from said walls when overriding the prong carrying members.

My present invention, while it undoubtedly does not distinguish from my for mer invention set forth in said application, so far as generic features are concerned,- nevertheless is in the nature of a species of the broad invention underlying said application, and will be best understood from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a loose leaf binder containing my improvement with one of the end caps in horizontal section. Fig.-

2 a detail fragmentary bottom end view. Fig. 3 a detail fragmentary sectional elevation of one end of the binder. Fig. 4 a detail fragmentary plan View of one end of a binder equipped with a modification of my improvement. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the end cap shown at Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 6 a detail fragmentary plan view show ing one end of a binder equipped with a modified form of spring element for .impolling the ball, and Fig. 7 is a section at the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Similar numerals of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

1 are the usual elongated plate-like members having pivotal relation at their inner edges and carrying prongs 2.

8 are end caps which are secured to the extremities of the members 1 as in my Letters Patent aforesaid so as to prevent accidental withdrawal, while at the same time said caps permit free rocking movements of the members 1.

The members 1 at opposite locations near their ends, are cut awayso as to form recesses 4, each opposed recess forming a complemental part of a closed pocket.v In other words, the recesses 4 do not intersect the ends of the members 1, and the closed pocket formed by these recesses 4 is bounded at its outer and inner ends by width edge portions of the members 1.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 8, and 5, each cap 3 is formed with a bottom sp ring tongue 5 that extends immediately beneath the recesses 4 and normally supports a ball 6 loosely contained within the closed pocket formed by these recesses. Furthermore, the end of this tongue 5 projects upwardly in contact with the inner portion of the ball 6,

as shown at Fig. 3, so as to always tend to resiliently force said ball outwardly against the outer width edges of the members 1 which act as the boundary of the outer ends of the closed pockets. The action of the ball is precisely the same as is set forth in my pending application above referred to,

and therefore no further description in this respect is necessary. J

It will, of course, be obvious that the tongue 5 may be rigid and so formed that any well known spring element may be utilized between the end of the tongue and the ball, and, as one example of such con struction, I have shown at Fig. 4 a coil spring 7 interposed between the ball and the end of the tongue, so that the ball will always tend to ride over or beneath the members 1.

It is not at all necessary that the spring element should be generally located at the bottom portion of the binder, since it may be lanced out of the top surface of the end cap and depressed into operative position with respect to the ball.

Accordingly, I have shown at Figs. 6 and 7 a construction in which the end cap 8 is integral with the usual cover plate 9, and from this cap a spring tongue 10 is lanced and depressed into resilient contact with the rear of the ball, the lower tongue portion 11 of the cap in this instance merely acting as a keeper to cooperate with the walls of the pocket in confining the ball within restricted limits, just as in the instance of the end caps referred to in my pending application above noted.

I claim 1. In a loose leaf binder, prong carrying members pivotally related at their inner edges and having recesses formed within their inner edges near the ends which recesses form closed pockets in the assembled structure, supports for said members consisting of end caps having spring bottom portions extending beneath said members the latter capable of rocking movements within said supports, and means confined within said pockets and supported and impelled by said bottom portions so as to always tend to ride over or beneath said members at their meeting edges along the outer edge walls of said pockets.

2. In a loose leaf. binder, prong carrying members pivotally related at their lnner edges which latter are recessed immediately inside the ends of the members to form closed pockets, supports for said members consisting of end caps having bottom p01 tions extending beneath said pockets, and spring impelled means supported at the inner ends of said bottom portions and always tending to ride over or beneath said members at their meeting edges along the outer edge walls of said pockets.

3. In a loose leaf binder, prong carrying members pivotally related at their inner edges which latter are recessed immediately inside the ends of the members to form closed pockets, means on which said members are rockingly supported, a movable element loosely contained within said pockets, and a spring device back of said element and always causing the latter to tend to ride over or beneath said members at their meeting ed es along the outer edge walls of said pockets.

4. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of prong carrying plates recessed at their inner edges to form pockets, means for supporting said plates in pivotal relation, locking devices contained within said pockets, said means having integral resilient portions coacting with said devices to hold the binder prongs in opened or closed positions.

5. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of prong carrying plates recessed at their inner edges to form pockets, means for supporting said plates in pivotal relation, loosely mounted locking elements contained within said pockets, and resilient portions integral with said means and coacting with said elements to hold the binder prongs in an open or closed position.

6. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of prong carrying plates recessed at their inner edges to form pockets, locking means contained within said pockets, and caps which support said plates in pivotal relation and which have integral resilient portions that coact with said locking means to hold the binder prongs in an open or closed posit-ion.

In testimony whereof I afIiX my signature in' presence of two witnesses.

JOHN SCHADE, JR. lVitnesses:

S. E. FAUCETT, CHARLES J. VOEI-IRINGER, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

